Maken wants IOA appointments of Chautala, Kalmadi revoked

New Delhi, Dec 28 (IANS) The Congress on Wednesday urged Youth and Sports Affairs Minister Vijay Goel to revoke the appointments of Suresh Kalmadi and Abhay Singh Chautala in the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), given their tainted past.

Former Union Sports Minister Ajay Maken slammed the Tuesday appointments of the two as honorary life presidents of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).

“I cannot believe that ‘chargesheeted’ people are made presidents of the IOA. Feel happy that Sports Minister issued strong statement on it, he must act now to reverse the decision,” Maken told reporters here.

“If one cares about sports in the country, then one has to rise above the political lines and the people who are ‘chargesheeted’ in the court should not be made lifetime members of the IOA,” the Congress leader said.

“By making Chautalaji and Kalmadiji the lifetime members of the IOA, we are sounding the death knell for sports in the country,” he added.

Maken also said that the “chargesheeted people have no right to be lifetime members of the IOA”.

“Till the time they are not exonerated by the court, they have no right to be members of the IOA,” he said.

Maken also urged the Sports Minister and the Centre to put pressure on then IOA to revoke the decision.

According to media reports, the proposal to appoint the duo was unanimously accepted at the IOA Annual General Meeting in Chennai.

Chautala is the former Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF) chief and his term at the helm of the IOA was full of controversy. He also faced “charges of corruption”.

Kalmadi, whose conduct during the 2010 Commonwealth Games came under scrutiny, has also headed the National Olympic Association for 15 years.